30 years of change
our evolution

As we look back on another year, we reflect on what this year has meant for us as we marked a huge milestone for Foodbank in WA, 30 years of operation.

While we wish that services such as ours were not needed, the sad reality is that more and more people need us each week.

Thanks to the most kind-hearted partners, supporters, donors, growers and second-to-none volunteers and staff, each day we push and strive to ensure we meet our purpose to feed. educate. advocate. Let’s take a look back to see how it all began…

Rewinding the clock back to 1993, the idea of Foodbank in Western Australia was born. The wonderful people at the Lotteries Commission provided us a $15,000 grant for a feasibility study under the stewardship of Doug Paling for the need and viability of food relief in Western Australia. This proved beyond a show of a doubt that there was a food insecurity problem in our State and by late October 1994, we opened our doors and served our first customer at our original premises in Belmont.

Our first nutrition education session was held not long after in 1995 with the first of many participants learning how to eat healthy on a budget under the FoodCent$ pilot program. The following year saw the official launch of the program with support of the Department of Health.

In a move that would revolutionise how we operated forever, we opened the doors to our first regional branch in August 2000 to provide food relief in Albany and the Southwest. Our rapid expansion continued with our Peel branch opening the same year followed by Geraldton in 2003, Bunbury in 2004 and Kalgoorlie, our first purpose-built premises in 2011, followed by Geraldton in 2016.

Recognising kids were going to school without breakfast we partnered with schools around Western Australia to provide healthy brekkies through our School Breakfast Program which came to life in 2001 with just 17 schools. Today we have 552 schools registered all across our state and feed 26,100 students a week who would otherwise go without breakfast, and in some cases the program even ensures lunch for some of the most vulnerable.

Our passion for nutrition and education grew over the years to encompass a Healthy Food for All vision and the introduction of our Superhero Foods® HQ characters in 2013 which made teaching kids about nutrition a lot more fun.

In 2014 we introduced our Perth Airport School Fruit Van which to this day delivers 10kg boxes of fruit a week to 75 schools with thanks to Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and McCusker Foundation.

As the need for our services grew, we moved locations, firstly to Welshpool and then finally to the Perth Airport precinct where we moved to our purpose-built Centre for Hunger Relief thanks to the Department of Communities, Lotterywest and BHP in 2015. The only Foodbank Community Kitchen in Australia came to life here, with the first ready to eat frozen meal produced that same year. Our amazing Community Kitchen changes surplus ingredients into delicious and healthy ready to eat meals for customers and reduces our food waste greatly.

Our commitment to our local communities grew further in 2016 when we recognised that we were in a position to assist with natural disasters that can cause unexpected food insecurity, and we joined the frontline emergency relied on to support the Yarloop fires. Followed by so many more.

Our Mobile Foodbank hit the road in 2019 taking Foodbank into the suburbs to reach more people in Armadale, Midland, Joondalup, Fremantle, Willagee and Ellenbrook. We now have 76 locations regionally and in the metro area.

Recognising the need for consistent availability of staples, in 2023 we launched Everyday Food Essentials to ensure we always had this range available to customers.

We continue to and adapt and innovate to ensure we support our customers with the dignity and respect each and every individual through our doors deserves. Continuing on our journey to provide healthy and nutritious food for those most vulnerable in our community, we thank each and every person who has supported us along the way. 

Latest news

At Costa, every mushroom counts

Find out more
At Costa, every mushroom counts

Find us on the Charity Trail

Find out more
Find us on the Charity Trail

Wheels of hope

Find out more
Wheels of hope

Alcoa continues to support Southwest communities

Find out more
Alcoa continues to support Southwest communities

National Nutrition Week

Find out more
National Nutrition Week

Anti-Poverty Week – A call to action

Find out more
Anti-Poverty Week – A call to action

A world away from everything you know

Find out more
A world away from everything you know

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do

Find out more
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do

Community classrooms: nom! Schools delivers sessions in the red dirt

Find out more
Community classrooms: nom! Schools delivers sessions in the red dirt

So much more than the post

Find out more
So much more than the post

Food relief for students thanks to Allianz Partners

Find out more
Food relief for students thanks to Allianz Partners

It takes a village – Help us grow our volunteer community

Find out more
It takes a village – Help us grow our volunteer community

Corporate Volunteering: Make a difference together

Find out more
Corporate Volunteering: Make a difference together

Team up, give back, make a difference

Find out more
Team up, give back, make a difference

What we eat influences how we feel

Find out more
What we eat influences how we feel

ToyBox helping us to deliver nom! sessions

Find out more
ToyBox helping us to deliver nom! sessions

Repurposing is our middle name

Find out more
Repurposing is our middle name

Bringing food relief closer to home

Find out more
Bringing food relief closer to home

Diary of a Foodbank volunteer

Find out more
Diary of a Foodbank volunteer

nom! Kids takes over

Find out more
nom! Kids takes over

We are excited about our Grain Program

Find out more
We are excited about our Grain Program

Rain, hail or shine

Find out more
Rain, hail or shine

Cooking for a cause

Find out more
Cooking for a cause

Serving up a unique menu

Find out more
Serving up a unique menu

Small business, big heart

Find out more
Small business, big heart

Our Volunteer Stories | Teamwork

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Teamwork

Nom! building confidence, connection and lifelong healthy habits

Find out more
Nom! building confidence, connection and lifelong healthy habits

Do you have a Workplace Giving Program?

Find out more
Do you have a Workplace Giving Program?

Consistency is key

Find out more
Consistency is key

The seal of freshness

Find out more
The seal of freshness

nom! Children program takes stress out of mealtimes

Find out more
nom! Children program takes stress out of mealtimes

What do our customers say?

Find out more
What do our customers say?

ERFAS 5 Year milestone

Find out more
ERFAS 5 Year milestone

How we said Thank You

Find out more
How we said Thank You

Iluka serving up food relief to the mid-west

Find out more
Iluka serving up food relief to the mid-west

The power of resilience and a hand up

Find out more
The power of resilience and a hand up

Making meals, making memories

Find out more
Making meals, making memories

Local love – sourcing fresh food in our backyard

Find out more
Local love – sourcing fresh food in our backyard

Ordinary people, extraordinary impact 

Find out more
Ordinary people, extraordinary impact 

The surprising group facing a lack of food in Australia 

Find out more
The surprising group facing a lack of food in Australia 

Fresh linen restores hope

Find out more
Fresh linen restores hope

Together with Telethon, we are changing lives

Find out more
Together with Telethon, we are changing lives

Foodbank Agency Pantry Project

Find out more
Foodbank Agency Pantry Project

Shane’s Story

Find out more
Shane’s Story

How do we source fresh fruit and vegetables?

Find out more
How do we source fresh fruit and vegetables?

Interesting facts about Foodbank WA

Find out more
Interesting facts about Foodbank WA

Making life a little bit easier | Mark’s Story

Find out more
Making life a little bit easier | Mark’s Story

South 32, Southern Ports and Talison Lithium support their local community

Find out more
South 32, Southern Ports and Talison Lithium support their local community

Building confidence and healthy habits with the nom! Children program

Find out more
Building confidence and healthy habits with the nom! Children program

Our Volunteer Stories | The Pink Ladies

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | The Pink Ladies

Tackling hunger in the Goldfields

Find out more
Tackling hunger in the Goldfields

Arc Infrastructure continues much needed support in Wheatbelt

Find out more
Arc Infrastructure continues much needed support in Wheatbelt

Southern Ports supports struggling families

Find out more
Southern Ports supports struggling families

Omega Fresh ups the ante

Find out more
Omega Fresh ups the ante

Western Australian farmers feeding hope

Find out more
Western Australian farmers feeding hope

Lisa’s Story

Find out more
Lisa’s Story

How do we meet demand?

Find out more
How do we meet demand?

Christmas spirit reaches remote WA with food hampers for families

Find out more
Christmas spirit reaches remote WA with food hampers for families

School Breakfast Program really delivers

Find out more
School Breakfast Program really delivers

Our Volunteer Stories | Lyndsay

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Lyndsay

Food is a basic human right

Find out more
Food is a basic human right

30 years of change

Find out more
30 years of change

Meat Food Safety Tips

Find out more
Meat Food Safety Tips

It could be your Mum or Dad, or you.

Find out more
It could be your Mum or Dad, or you.

What does 26,200 kilos of fruit look like?

Find out more
What does 26,200 kilos of fruit look like?

Our Volunteer Stories | Maggie

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Maggie

A paw-fect Partnership

Find out more
A paw-fect Partnership

Nourishing the Mind

Find out more
Nourishing the Mind

Superhero Foods® HQ

Find out more
Superhero Foods® HQ

A microscopic tale of hunger, hormones and hope

Find out more
A microscopic tale of hunger, hormones and hope

From plate to bin: The hidden impact of ​​​​​​​uneaten food

Find out more
From plate to bin: The hidden impact of ​​​​​​​uneaten food

Bo-Anne’s Story

Find out more
Bo-Anne’s Story

Costa Mushrooms, you mean so mush to us

Find out more
Costa Mushrooms, you mean so mush to us

Jawaria story | Supporting new parents to make healthy choices

Find out more
Jawaria story | Supporting new parents to make healthy choices

From Pantry Partner to community plate

Find out more
From Pantry Partner to community plate

Paul’s story | A pillar of strength

Find out more
Paul’s story | A pillar of strength

From FOOD Cent$ to nom!

Find out more
From FOOD Cent$ to nom!

Your recipe for fun, healthy eating

Find out more
Your recipe for fun, healthy eating

The art of saving perfectly good food

Find out more
The art of saving perfectly good food

Jane’s Story | Finding strength in giving back

Find out more
Jane’s Story | Finding strength in giving back

Our Volunteer Stories | Stuart

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Stuart

Leah’s Story

Find out more
Leah’s Story

Our Volunteer Stories | Al

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Al

Our Volunteer Stories | Kurt

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Kurt

Neto’s Story | Resilience, Hope and a Pantry Full of Kindness

Find out more
Neto’s Story | Resilience, Hope and a Pantry Full of Kindness

Beverley’s Story | A Mother’s Love and the Mobile Foodbank

Find out more
Beverley’s Story | A Mother’s Love and the Mobile Foodbank

Our Volunteer Stories | Anne

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Anne

Kiah’s Story | Foodbank WA Christmas

Find out more
Kiah’s Story | Foodbank WA Christmas

A Day in the Life of a Public Health Nutritionist | nom! Nutritionists

Find out more
A Day in the Life of a Public Health Nutritionist | nom! Nutritionists

Our Volunteer Stories | Ray

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Ray

Food Mood Connection | Nutrition and Mental Health

Find out more
Food Mood Connection | Nutrition and Mental Health

From Setbacks to Success Amanda’s Story | Working at Foodbank WA

Find out more
From Setbacks to Success Amanda’s Story | Working at Foodbank WA

Our Volunteer Stories | Joe

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Joe

Always Ready to Respond | Emergency Relief

Find out more
Always Ready to Respond | Emergency Relief

Nourishing Communities One Step at a Time | Mobile Foodbank

Find out more
Nourishing Communities One Step at a Time | Mobile Foodbank

Our Volunteer Stories | Martin

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Martin

Our Volunteer Stories | Ollie

Find out more
Our Volunteer Stories | Ollie

Money Saving Tips and Meal Planning on a Budget | Meal Planning

Find out more
Money Saving Tips and Meal Planning on a Budget | Meal Planning

Helping to Shape Communities with BHP | Pilbara

Find out more
Helping to Shape Communities with BHP | Pilbara

Waste Not, Want Not | Food Waste

Find out more
Waste Not, Want Not | Food Waste